Textile yarn steamer and dryer



Dec. 28, 1965 F. w. WADDELLE 3,225,455

TEXTILE YARN STEAMER AND DRYER Filed Nov. 28, 1962 HEATING con.

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FRED W. WADD ELLE HUMIDIFIER VALVE HEATINe Com VALVE M 29 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,225,455 TEXTILE YARN STEAIVIER AND DRYER Fred W. Waddelle, 115 Eastlan Drive, Greenville, S.C. Filed Nov. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 240,687 2 Claims. (Cl. 3477) This invention relates to an improved textile yarn steamer and dryer providing increased air pressure for increased yarn penetration and more uniform distribution of heat and moisture.

Yarn conditioners in the form of textile yarn steamers and dryers and the like have long been in use to set the twist and otherwise condition textile yarn. A device such as that illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,606,372 is typical of such conditioners. The yarn packages are usually in the form of cheeses and the like carried on carts which are placed side by side in the conditioning chamber of such devices. Due to the localized suction effects exerted by fans, the distribution of heat and moisture could not heretofore be maintained uniformly through the conditioning chamber. The drop in air pressure within the conditioning chamber of such devices is not conducive t good penetrating qualities so that long periods of conditioning were required. Moisture often collects upon the ceiling of such prior devices and drips upon the yarn discoloring same.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a device capable of faster and more uniform yarn conditioning.

Another object of this invention is to provide more uniform heat and moisture distribution in the conditioning chamber of a textile yarn conditioner and dryer.

Another important object of the invention is to provide increased air pressure within the conditioning chamber to improve the penetration characteristics of the conditioner.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a yarn conditioner in which the collection of moisture on the ceiling and resulting dripping upon the yarn is eliminated.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and where- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a textile yarn conditioner and dryer constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the operation of the various electrical components.

The drawing illustrates a textile yarn steamer and dryer and the like, having a conditioning compartment containing the yarn. A first substantially vertical side compartment wall A has spaced apertures therein. A second substantially vertical side compartment wall B opposite said first wall has corresponding apertures therein. A first substantially vertical elongated chamber C is formed by the second wall B and an outside Wall. A second substantially vertical elongated chamber D is formed by said first wall and an outside wall. An intermediate elongated horizontal chamber E through which said first chamber communicates with said second chamber is positioned above said vertical chamber walls. Fan means F are positioned within said intermediate chamber for creating a drop in static pressure in said first chamber C. The fan means also creates a rise in static pressure 3,225,455 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 in the second chamber D. Means heating G and means humidifying H the air passing through the compartment are positioned externally of the compartment. Air intake means I is positioned between said first chamber C and the fan I, and air outlet] means is positioned between said fan and said second chamber. A false ceiling K has channels therein for removing moisture collected upon the upper surface thereof.

It will be observed that the conditioning compartment includes the Walls A and B and a false ceiling. The compartment is sealed by an insulated casing including a top 10, a bottom 11, and front and rear end walls 12 and 13, respectively. The insulating casing also includes a side Wall 14 which forms a substantially vertical elongated chamber C with the wall B. A side wall 15 forms substantially vertical elongated chamber D with the wall A. The bottom 11 has a ramp 16 leading up to the bottom or front of the compartment 11 for carrying the quill trucks 17 and the like thereto. The front end 12 has doors 18 for closing the compartment. The doors 18 have suitable fastening means 18a for maintaining them in closed position during the conditioning process.

The first wall A has a plurality of apertures 19 therein which become progressively larger toward the bottom of the compartment. The second wall B also has spaced longitudinal apertures 20 therein which correspond to the apertures 19 and are for the purpose of promoting a uniform distribution of air across the compartment. It is preferable that the apertures 20 are aligned with the corresponding apertures 19 and that they be similar size. To provide a substantially uniform distribution of air along the Walls A and B the apertures 19 and 20 may be varied by increasing their size as shown or by reducing their spacing (not shown) or any combination thereof. A relatively low static pressure is created in a first substantially vertical chamber C defined by the compartment wall B and the outer wall 14 by the fan means F. The passageway C communicates with the second substantially vertical chamber D through the passageway E to create a rise in static pressure within the chamber D.

The horizontal chamber E is defined by the upper wall 10 and the false ceiling, and contains therein a heating coil G in the form of a steam coil which receives steam from a suitable source (not shown).in the mill. A humidifier which includes an elongated pipe 21 discharges steam through spaced nozzles 22.

The fans F are driven by a motor 23 which operates continuously through suitable driving means 24 to operate the fans F. The motor 23 and the driving means 24 are carried by a suitable support 25 fixed to the Wall 14. The intake damper I brings air into the first chamber which is discharged across the heating coil G. The humidifier H discharges steam into the compartment C from the pipe 21 through the nozzles 22. An exhaust damper J is provided communicating with the passageway E on the side of the heating coil G remote from the fan F. A damper motor 26 operates the dampers 27 and 28, respectively, within the outlet dampers I and I through suitable linkage means 29.

The false ceiling K is constructed of sheet metal and inclines downwardly from the middle toward the front and rear and from the middle toward the sides. The longitudinal drainage channels 30 of the false ceiling K discharge into suitable gutters 31 at the front and rear thereof, and suitable downspouts 32 are positioned adjacent each corner of the device for carrying excess moisture into suitable discharge fittings (not shown). Since the fans F discharge into the chamber E, moisture collected upon the upper surface of the false chamber K is pushed by the discharged air into the channels 30.

A suitable control device (FIGURE 3), is sold by Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co., Wayne and Windrim Avenues, Philadelphia 44, Pennsylvania, identified as Recording-Series 602C. The humidifier and heating coil valves may be of a type identified as Series 400 Diaphragm Control Valves, Type 48, Single-Seated, also sold by Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. The relay may be of a type identified as R482 and the damper motor 26 may be of a type identified as M405B, both sold by Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. The relay operates responsive to suitable timing mechanism controlling the operation of the control device. The long timer is an override timer which permits the control device to perform its function. The wet bulb temperature is established by the humidifier H on one side of a predetermined control point and the damper motor 26 on the other side thereof. The dry bulb operates the heating coil G when the temperature is below the set point. At the end of the override timing period the wet bulb timer and the dry bulb timer permit operation of the wet and dry bulb controllers of the control device.

Thus a uniform air pressure is obtained throughout the conditioning compartment to enhance the penetrating effects of the heat and moisture therein. This uniform air pressure is made possible by the static air pressure in the system built up by the fan positioned remote from the compartment. The positioning of the fan also helps eliminate the collection of moisture upon the ceiling.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A textile yarn steamer and dryer and the like having a conditioning compartment for containing the yarn including, a first substantially vertical side compartment Wall having spaced apertures therein, a second substantially vertical side compartment Wall opposite said first wall having corresponding apertures therein, a first substantially vertical elongated chamber formed by said second Wall and an outside Wall, a second substantially vertical elongated chamber formed by said first wall and an outside wall, an intermediate elongated horizontal chamber through which said first chamber communicates with said second chamber above said vertical chamber Walls formed by a compartment top and an outside top, spaced corrugations within the compartment top collecting and disposing of condensation formed on the compartment top in the intermediate chamber, fan means positioned Within said intermediate chamber for creating a drop in static pressure in said first chamber and to remove condensation at the top of the conditioning compartment, said fan means creating a rise in static pressure in said second chamber, and means heating and means humidifying the air passing through the compartment positioned externally of the compartment.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which the effective sizes of the apertures of the first and second compartment walls are selected according to variation in static air pressure in said first and second chambers to permit substantially equal flow of air across the walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,700,439 1/1929 Judelson 34-233 1,833,397 11/1931 Hagen 98-40 2,000,103 5/1935 Shodron 98-55 X 2,172,944 8/ 1939 Norris 98-40 2,606,372 8/1952 Foulder 34-225 FOREIGN PATENTS 690,954 6/1930 France.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Examiner.

W. 'C. EVERETT, B. L. ADAMS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TEXTILE YARN STEAMER FOR DRYER AND THE LIKE HAVING A CONDITIONING COMPARTMENT FOR CONTAINING THE YARN INCLUDING, A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE COMPARTMENT WALL HAVING SPACED APERTURES THEREIN, A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE COMPARTMENT WALL OPPOSITE SAID FIRST WALL HAVING CORRESPONDING APERTURES THEREIN, A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ELONGATED CHAMBER FORMED BY SAID SECOND WALL AND AN OUTSIDE WALL, A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ELONGATED CHAMBER FORMED BY SAID FIRST WALL AND AN OUTSIDE WALL, AN INTERMEDIATE ELONGATED HORIZONTAL CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH SAID FIRST CHAMBER COMMUNICATES WITH SAID SECOND CHAMBER ABOVE SAID VERTICAL CHAMBER WALLS FORMED BY A COMPARTMENT TOP AND AN OUTSIDE TOP, SPACED CORRUGATIONS WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT TOP COLLECT- 